A drug addict has become the first man in Britain to take part in a controversial project which saw him get cash to be sterilised.

The 38-year-old, who wishes to be known to only as John, was given £200 in exchange for a vasectomy.

John - who has been addicted to opiates for 15 years and has been involved with drugs since he was 11 or 12 - said the cash incentive spurred him into going ahead with the procedure.

The addict, who is featured in BBC London's Inside Out programme on Monday night, said: "It was kind of what spurred me into doing it in a way. It was something that I'd been thinking about for a long time and something that I'd already made my mind up that I wanted to do. Just hadn't got round to it."

John, who admitted he had stolen things in the past and dabbled in dealing drugs, said that he was going to spend the money on overdue rent and shopping.

The controversial American charity - Project Prevention - was set up by Barbara Harris, from North Carolina, who adopted four children born of a crack addict mother. She watched the children struggle with the addiction passed on to them by their mother.

"I got very angry about the damage that these drugs do to these children," she said on the program. "It was unbelievable. Isaiah could not sleep, he couldn't eat, his eyes were big, noise bothered him, light bothered him. It broke my heart. I was angry at the mum, And then my anger turned a little bit to where why did we allow her to do that?"

The charity, which has already paid more than 3,500 American men and women addicted to drugs or alcohol not to have children, is offering the service to addicts in the UK and has set up a helpline for those interested. The project also pays addicts to get long-term birth control including intrauterine contraceptive devices or a contraceptive implant.

When John called the helpline he had 30 days to think about his decision. He underwent the procedure on the NHS in mid-September.

He added: "It came as a bit of a shock to me knowing I was the first in Britain. I would have thought people would be snapping up the offer as soon as it came apparent as it was there. I won't be able to support a kid. I can just about manage to support myself. Just about got it together to do that."

Brilliant! I don't think we could implement that kind of program here in the States--the conservatives would cry about money being given to leeches, and the liberals would cry about human rights and human dignity.

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"Gentlemen, the verdict is guilty, on all ten counts of first-degree stupidity. The penalty phase will now begin."--Divine, "Pink Flamingos."

The charity, which has already paid more than 3,500 American men and women addicted to drugs or alcohol not to have children, is offering the service to addicts in the UK and has set up a helpline for those interested. The project also pays addicts to get long-term birth control including intrauterine contraceptive devices or a contraceptive implant.

I would assume that the above quote would mean that, indeed, the program is active in the States.

Now, if only they could implement the same thing from idiotic and careless people, but I'm not gonna hold my breath.

I have nothing against encouraging people to use contraceptive pills, especially when they cannot afford to look after their children. Planning a family does not harm anybody and is a sign of responsibility. Better to use the pills than abort a child or, much worse, throw it away into the street sick and neglected.

But calling sterilization charity is just going too far. This is the kind of charity that the Nazis practiced.

Drug addicts can be cured, of course, if they want to. My relative was a drug addict, now she works and is a caring mother to her children. That was the man, who helped her

Project Prevention offers cash incentives to women and men addicted to drugs and/or alcohol to use long term or permanent birth control. Project Prevention is a National, 501 (C) 3 organization using your donations to stop a problem before it happens. We have paid addicts in 50 States and the District of Columbia.

Our mission is to continue to reach out to addicts offering referrals to drug treatment for those interested and to get them on birth control until they can care for the children they conceive. We are lowering the number of children added to foster care, preventing the addicts from the guilt and pain they feel each time they give birth only to have their child taken away, and preventing suffering of innocent children because even those fortunate enough to be born with no medical or emotional problems after placed in foster care face often a lifetime of longing to feel loved and wanted.

Study the above links carefully, and you will see they are indeed, by definition and practice, a charity.

This is the kind of charity that the Nazis practiced.

No, it isn't. With the Nazis, it was compulsory, with severe penalties attached for refusal to comply. The other is entirely voluntary.

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"Consensus is the absence of leadership." Margaret Thatcher

"I'm fascinated with how primitive the human mind still is. It can be misdirected so easily." John Gaughan

"Success is uncommon. Therefore, not to be enjoyed by the common man." Cal Stoll

Planning a family does not harm anybody and is a sign of responsibility.

"Hey let's have a kid""Fuck yeah, think of all the money we can get from the government on welfare"

Where's the sign of responsibility in that?

It doesn't sound like anyone is being forced to take up this type of contraception so where is the problem? Besides drug addicts there is a heck of a lot of people in this world having children for the wrong reasons, in the wrong situations or because they just don't care.

Why should a child have to suffer from that if they don't have to?

Originally Posted By: anna

It is about helping weak people not weeding them out.

If a person is weak by their own choice why should we HAVE to help them? If you WANT to help then that is fine but there is nothing HAVE to about it!

The more you help the 'weak' the weaker they seem to get! When unfortunate events happen to people, charity can be a huge help, but when the unfortunate event is self induced then why should they receive help.

If everyone took responsibility for themselves then we wouldn't have to spend so much money on charity!!!!!!!

Think of what that money could be spent on...

Hail Satan! Midnight.

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A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life. - Charles Darwin

Thank you, Magister, for posting links. That these people should be under temporary birth control is quite reasonable, but sterilising them, even if they agree, is ,at least in my opinion, barbaric. It is for these people a life sentence. If they happen to overcome their addiction they can regret their decision.

It is voluntary, but are drug addicts able to make lifelong decisions? They are sick people and should be given some treatment, therapy, instead of just ostracising them.

Drug problem is too complex, birth control will not solve it.

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Just gonna stand there and watch me burn. Well that's alright because I like the way it hurts.

Last I checked the Nazi party wasn't a charitable organization. They based they're actions on Eugenics. A practice which was, oddly enough, developed in the United States (specifically an asylum in New Jersey.)

Also, no one is forcing sterilization on any one. This is simply an option offered to people suffering from addiciton who do not, and probably should not, want to bring children into this world. This is, in my opinion, a great example of responsibility being taken.

Addicition can't be cured, but it can be treated and eventually managed. Having had a parent who struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, I can say with all certainty that nothing ever cures it.

I know what the arguement your formulating will be. "Well what if one of your parents did this and you were never born. How would you feel about that?" Truth is I have no feelings about it because frankly it didn't happen that way. Even then, it's difficult to be angry about potentially not existing when in fact I do, and trust me, the world is a much brighter place with me in it.

I agree. Drug addicts are just disgusting, filthy, weak individuals who deserve no pity.

I have a cousin who used to be a filthy little criminal who would huff insect spray, physically fight with his girlfriend, smoke a lot of marijuana, and would get so off his face he'd smash the windows in his house and urinate in the corner.

Then, one day while opening the back of a truck incorrectly to unload some desks, 400kgs of said desks fell on him, breaking his neck and leaving him paralysed.

If you think a drug addict can't get his fix just because he can't move his hands, think again. The latest drama is that he is now addicted to what we here in New Zealand call "P" or pure methamphetamine.

Disgusting. And yet, starting next year, a 21 year old tetraplegic drug addict who can't take care of a dog is going to be marrying his girlfriend and starting IVF to conceive. Worst mistake ever.

I say congratulations to that organization for finally offering a solution to a massive problem. Hell, I'd say they should simply offer cash for sterilization to lower socio-economic scum who spend their days unemployed, drinking, and causing trouble.

judging from the admittedly brief glimpse I gave the replies, this seems to be another one of those things any animal lover would do for their pets, but would deny humans. Put Fluffy to sleep because all she has left is suffering, but don't offer the same compassion to grandpa. Spay and neuter your pets, but leave human reproduction to dumb luck and chance.

I would have to interview everyone who has had kids to back this up, but I bet a dollar to donut that many people did not plan to get pregnant. How much less do you think a drug addict wants to have kids? This program is doing them a favor.

There are a lot of things in this world that are significantly worse than being voluntarily sterilized in exchange for cash; and it's entirely possible that the children of drug addicts would be forced to endure many of them. That’s what this is about.

Any reasonable person understands that this is not a perfect world and that things often come down to a choice between one “barbaric” solution over another, even more unappealing one.